Chronic back pain, typically lower back pain, caused by injury or age-related degeneration of an intervertebral disc is a condition experienced by many patients.
Current treatment options for lower back pain range from conservative bed rest to highly invasive surgical procedures, including spinal fusion, discectomy, and total disc replacement.
The human intervertebral disc is comprised of two major structures, an inner gelatinous structure (i.e., the nucleus pulposus) and an outer tendinous structure (i.e., the annulus fibrosus). Degeneration of the nucleus can lead to disc degradation and loss of function. Thus, another surgical option for the relief of lower back pain is replacement of the nucleus while leaving the annulus intact.
Replacement or supplementation of the nucleus pulposus, e.g., by introducing a biocompatible material, which may be a liquid, a gel, or the like, can relieve pain, restore healthy physiologic function to the disc, and/or prevent additional wear on the annulus.
Accordingly, a need has continued to exist for a method and apparatus that make it possible to confine an injected or otherwise introduced material, e.g., a gel or liquid, within the nucleus pulposus region of the intervertebral disk.